Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain [BERENSTAIN BEARS 01] The Berenstain Bears Meet Sant ear (v5.0)

  

Copyright © 1984 by Berenstains, Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of

Canada Limited, Toronto.

  

CONTENTS

  “Yes! Isn’t it great?” said Papa Bear, admiring the mall decorations.

  “No need to be concerned,” said Papa. “Brother and Sister are good little cubs. I’m

  But if Papa had looked at Brother and Sister at that moment, he wouldn’t have been

  They had just come from watching Saturday morning television and there had been

  —a bear-hug Teddy that hugged you back when you squeezed it, a ride-on pink pony, a

  There had been some things that had excited Brother, too …

  —especially a remote-control robot that could stand on its head, and a dinosaur molding

  And there they were, right in the toy store window—plus lots more! Sister was so And when Brother read a sign saying Santa Bear was coming to the mall to meet all his

  “Santa Bear!” she cried. “Oh, Mama, may I come meet Santa Bear? Please, may I?

  Sister Bear could hardly wait to start her Christmas list. She needed a little help from

  Over the next few days the sights and sounds of Christmas became stronger and

  “You know,” warned Brother, “if your list is too long, Santa Bear might think you’re

  She hadn’t thought of that, either. As she looked at her long list she began to get a

  “Sure,” answered Brother, who was nishing up his list—which was very short. “A

  Now Sister was really nervous. She thought of all the times she hadn’t exactly been The time she and Brother had gotten into a fight and shouted at each other.

  The time Mama’s best lamp had gotten broken and they told a big lie.

  And the time they had let their room get so messy that Mama had threatened to throw

  “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about those times,” said Mama, giving Sister a little hug. “Santa

  Sister gulped. “It’s almost ready,” she said. “But what about your list for Santa—yours

  “Pssst!” whispered Brother. “Presents for Mama and Papa is our job, silly! Come on,

  Sister had just enough. Brother had enough and a little extra.

  That evening Sister made a new list. It looked a lot like Brother’s.

  When they got to Santa Bear’s little house in the mall the next day, there was a line. She wondered how he took care of all those cubs; she wondered where he got all those

  “It’s very nice to see you,” he said in a deep, jolly voice. “Now, tell me, my dear, have

  Santa gave Sister and every other cub a souvenir coloring book. The cover showed

  Sister’s mind was so lled with thoughts about Santa that she almost forgot about the

  They found just the right presents for Mama and Papa. Sister chose a ne new fur-

  “Look!” said Sister as they were leaving the mall. “Another Santa!” She was right.

  “That’s one of Santa’s many helpers,” explained Papa. “His job is to collect money to

  Finally the days and weeks of preparation and waiting were over and it was

  “You know something, Papa?” said Sister as she helped hang the last holly wreath.

  How can he visit every cub in the world in just a single night? Where does he get all

  Papa took a deep breath, then looked up at the starry sky.

  “I suppose,” said Sister, “that Santa could just skip the chimney and come in the front

  Then, before she went in, she took one last look at the starry sky. But it had clouded

  “Well,” she thought. “At least that’ll help with the sleigh.”

  When Sister woke up on Christmas morning, Bear Country was covered with a And the oor beneath the Bears’ Christmas tree was covered with piles of beautiful

  Then, when the excitement and shouting were over, the cubs watched Mama and

  “What lovely, thoughtful gifts!” said Mama.

  It was a very special moment. Sister knew right then and there that Papa was right: